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Karen Scullin A conference of gang-duty police officers is focusing on the rise of gang crime in the community this week.
And, as if to provide an exclamation point, another gang-related shooting happened this afternoon at a Midvale apartment complex.
Although police say it's better than it used to be, the area is known for gang activity, usually Hispanic gangs.
Detectives say the shooting this afternoon involved two gang members, but they don't know for sure which gangs are involved.
Just after one police got a report of gunshots inside the apartments on Tiffany Town Drive, they found a man in his mid-twenties inside who had been shot in the back of the head.
He was treated at the scene, and then taken away by a medical helicopter.
The suspect ran from the scene and police only know they're looking for a guy who goes by the name "Smokey" and is from the West Jordan area.
There was a woman, two men, the victim and suspect inside the apartment when the gun went off, but no one seems to know for sure what led to the shooting.
Sgt. John Salazar/Midvale City Police Dept.: “WE DID GET A TRESPASSING CALL TO THE SAME APARTMENT ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING . SO WE BELIEVE IT'S GANG RELATED, FROM WHAT THE WITNESSES ARE TELLING US, WE'RE JUST INVESTIGATING FURTHER NOW "
The Salt Lake Area has seen a fifty percent increase in gang crime between 2001 and 2002. Gang cops say at the rate we've been going since January the trend will continue.
